JPWO2007138694A1 - Verification method - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless recognition IC tag 102 in which an ID number unique to each connector 101 is written is attached to the surface of the connector 101, and a wireless recognition IC unique to each optical fiber cable 107 is attached to the surface of the optical fiber terminal 105. A tag 104 is attached. After the reader antenna 103 is brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 104 and the ID number of the optical fiber cable 107 is read by the reader 108, the reader antenna 103 is brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 102 and the ID number of the connector 101 is changed by the reader 108. read. Next, after collating both ID numbers and confirming that both ID numbers correspond, the optical fiber terminal 105 is inserted in the connector 101.

Description

  The present invention relates to a verification technique using a wireless recognition IC tag, and more particularly to a technique for confirming the correctness of connection between a signal cable and a connector using a wireless recognition IC tag.

  A wireless recognition IC tag that reads desired data written in a memory circuit in a semiconductor chip using a microwave is also called an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, and is being used in various fields.

  For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-046582 (Patent Document 1) discloses a medical information management system using a wireless recognition IC tag. This medical information management system attaches a wireless recognition IC to which a doctor's treatment instruction information has been input to a patient wristband in order to prevent erroneous administration of a drug to a patient, and reads this information with a reader when the drug is administered. Thus, it is determined whether or not a regular drug is administered.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-157936 (patent document 2) is a method in which a wireless recognition IC tag in which ID information is recorded is attached to each of a patient, a medical worker, and a medical medium, and the ID information of the three parties is obtained by an IC tag sensor. A risk management system for determining whether or not the medical information recorded in the database matches the ID information after reading all the information is disclosed.

  Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-200197 (Patent Document 3) discloses an information management method in which information on an article equipped with an identification tag composed of a wireless recognition IC tag can be accurately acquired. When this information management method receives specific information of a plurality of identification tags read by a reader, the information management method determines the relationship between articles equipped with identification tags having such unique information, and indicates the contents of the relationship Information and link information between these pieces of unique information are created and stored in the storage means as related information about the article. Then, after entering the process of managing the related information related to the article, when receiving the unique information of the identification tag read by the reader, the information having the received unique information is used using the information stored in the storage means. A prescribed process is executed according to the content of the related information related to the article with the tag attached.

  Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-204412 (Patent Document 4) discloses a wiring management system that facilitates wiring replacement work, line separation work, and the like, and that enables simple and accurate wiring management. This wiring management system includes a wiring board in which a connector for detachably connecting a plurality of wiring terminal portions to each other is housed. A wireless recognition IC tag for storing wiring connection data supplied from a reader / writer by radio is attached to each wiring terminal unit or a connector corresponding to each wiring terminal unit. The reader / writer antenna is connected to a wiring attachment / detachment jig for attaching / detaching the connector. The management device wirelessly transmits / receives wiring connection data to / from the reader / writer, and manages the wiring connection state of the wiring board.

  An example of a method for confirming the connection of the electric wires will be described with reference to FIG. Unlike an optical fiber, in the case of an electric wire, since the length may be changed for each connector, the connectors can be arranged at relatively wide intervals.

The terminal board 209 and the electric wire 204 are connected by a connection screw 203. A first wireless recognition IC tag 201 is affixed to the terminal board 209, and a second wireless recognition IC tag is attached to the covering 205 around the electric wire 204. When attaching the wireless recognition IC tags 201 and 202 that are easily affected by metal, a gap of about 1 mm thickness is formed using a spacer such as paper or plastic. Each of the wireless recognition IC tags 201 and 202 includes an ultra-small IC chip and a small antenna. The internal ID number of the first wireless recognition IC tag 201 is read by the first reader antenna 206A, and the internal ID number of the second wireless recognition IC tag 202 is read by the second reader antenna 206B. Each of the reader antennas 206A and 206B is switched by a switch 207, connected to the reader 208, and the ID numbers of the wireless recognition IC tags 201 and 202 are read to check whether the connection between the terminal board 209 and the electric wire 204 is correct. The For example, ceramic antennas are used as the reader antennas 206A and 206B.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-046582 JP 2005-157936 A JP 2005-200197 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-204412

  Many optical fibers are connected with high density to a distribution board for optical fiber communication installed in a communication relay station or the like. The connection between the wiring board and the optical fiber is performed by inserting one end portion (optical fiber terminal) of the optical fiber into a desired connector among many connectors arranged on the wiring board.

  The connectors are densely arranged at narrow intervals in order to keep the length of the optical fiber group connected to the wiring board uniform. This is because the length of the optical fiber group is fixed to the maximum length of the connection, and thus there is a strong restriction on the arrangement of the connectors. Therefore, when the optical fiber terminal is inserted into or removed from the connector, for example, a detachable jig as shown in FIG. 16 is used.

  The attaching / detaching jig 300 includes a holding arm 303 for holding an optical fiber terminal 302 attached to the tip of the optical fiber cable 301. The holding arm 303 is connected to the lever 306 via a connecting arm 304 and a driving arm 305 interlocking therewith. When the operator inserts a finger into the lever 306 and moves the drive arm 305 and the connecting arm 304 linearly, the gripping arm 303 moves up and down. At the time of line switching, the operator first moves the gripping arm 303 downward to grip the optical fiber terminal 302, and manually pulls out the optical fiber terminal 302 from the first connector (not shown). Next, in this state, the optical fiber 301 is moved to the second connector (not shown), the optical fiber terminal 302 is manually inserted into the second connector, and then the gripping arm 303 is moved upward to The holding of the fiber terminal 302 is released.

  The problem when inserting / removing optical fiber cables into / from connectors arranged at high density on the wiring board as described above is that the optical fiber cables are densely packed because the connectors are arranged at high density. Since the visual verification of the optical fiber cable is incomplete, an erroneous operation is likely to occur when the optical fiber cable is inserted or removed. Conventional literature does not show a method for efficiently solving this problem.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of efficiently confirming whether a signal cable and a connector are connected correctly when a signal cable such as an optical fiber cable is inserted into and removed from a connector arranged at a high density on a wiring board. There is to do.

  The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

  Of the inventions disclosed in this application, the outline of typical ones will be briefly described as follows.

The collation method according to one aspect of the present application is any one of the plurality of signal cables inserted into any of the plurality of connectors arranged at a predetermined interval, or any of the plurality of signal cables inserted into the plurality of connectors. When unplugging the signal cable
(A) A first wireless recognition IC tag in which a unique ID number is written in each of the plurality of connectors is attached, and a second wireless recognition in which a unique ID number is written in each of the plurality of signal cables. Attaching the IC tag;
(B) Among the plurality of connectors, a reader antenna is brought close to the first wireless recognition IC tag attached to the predetermined connector, and the ID of the predetermined connector written in the first wireless recognition IC tag Reading the number with a reader;
(C) The reader antenna is brought close to the second wireless recognition IC tag attached to a predetermined signal cable among the plurality of signal cables, and the predetermined wireless signal written to the second wireless recognition IC tag is written. Reading the ID number of the signal cable with the reader;
(D) collating the ID number of the predetermined connector read by the reader with the ID number of the predetermined signal cable, and confirming the correspondence between the two ID numbers;
(E) including a step of inserting the predetermined signal cable into the predetermined connector or removing the predetermined signal cable from the predetermined connector when the correspondence between the two ID numbers is correct. .

  Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, effects obtained by typical ones will be briefly described as follows.

  It is possible to reliably and efficiently prevent an erroneous operation when the signal cable is inserted into the connector or the signal cable is removed from the connector.

It is the schematic of the switchboard which shows the collation method which is one embodiment of this invention. (A) is a top view of the radio | wireless recognition IC tag 102, (b) is sectional drawing along the AA of (a). It is a block diagram which shows the structure of IC chip incorporated in the radio | wireless recognition IC tag. It is a top view which shows an example of the structure of the reader antenna used with the collation method which is one embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the reader antenna shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method which is one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method which is one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method which is one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method which is one embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the collation apparatus which is one embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method using the collation apparatus shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method using the collation apparatus shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method using the collation apparatus shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the collation method which is other embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the connection method of the conventional terminal board and an electric wire. It is the schematic of the attachment / detachment jig | tool which shows the connection method of the optical fiber cable and connector which this inventor examined.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that components having the same function are denoted by the same reference symbols throughout the drawings for describing the embodiment, and the repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

(Embodiment 1)
A collation method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment is a verification method for confirming whether or not an optical fiber cable is correctly inserted into and removed from a connector arranged at a high density on a wiring board such as a communication relay station.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a large number of connectors 101 are arranged at high density on the switchboard 100. The optical fiber cable 107 is connected to the switchboard 100 by inserting an optical fiber terminal 105 attached to the tip of the optical fiber cable 107 into the connector 101.

  A first wireless recognition IC tag 102 is attached to the surface of the connector 101. The wireless recognition IC tag 102 includes an ultra-small IC chip having a diameter of 1 mm or less and a small antenna formed in the IC chip, and can be attached to the surface of the connector 101 having a small size. An ID number unique to each connector 101 is written in the IC chip of the wireless recognition IC tag 102.

  On the other hand, a second wireless recognition IC tag 104 is attached to the surface of the optical fiber terminal 105. Similar to the first wireless recognition IC tag 102, the wireless recognition IC tag 104 is composed of a micro IC chip having a diameter of 1 mm or less and a small antenna formed in the IC chip. Can also be attached to the surface of the optical fiber terminal 105 having a small size. An ID number unique to each optical fiber cable 107 is written on the IC chip of the wireless recognition IC tag 104.

  2A is a plan view of the wireless recognition IC tag 102, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2A.

  On the base film 130, an antenna 131 made of a conductive film is formed. A slit 132 is provided in part of the antenna 131. An IC chip 135 is connected to the antenna 131 via two bump electrodes 133 and 134 that straddle the slit 132. The slit 132 is formed to match the impedance between the antenna 131 and the IC chip 135. The impedance between the two bump electrodes 133 and 134 (input impedance of the IC chip 135) is adjusted to 60Ω at, for example, 2.45 GHz.

  When the 2.45 GHz microwave is irradiated on the wireless recognition IC tag 102, a high-frequency current flows through the antenna 131. At this time, if the input impedance (60Ω) of the IC chip 135 matches the impedance of the antenna 131, the high-frequency current flowing through the antenna 131 can be supplied to the IC chip 135 most efficiently. On the other hand, if the input impedance of the IC chip 135 and the impedance of the antenna 131 are incompletely matched, the high frequency current is reflected at the connection point (bump electrodes 133 and 134) between them, and the energy for operating the IC chip 135 Is not sufficiently supplied, the intensity of the signal input to the IC chip 135 is weakened. Although not shown, the wireless recognition IC tag 104 affixed to the surface of the optical fiber terminal 105 has the same configuration as FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the IC chip 135 built in the wireless recognition IC tag 102. The IC chip 135 includes a rectifier circuit 302, a clock extraction circuit 303, a load switch 304, and a counter / memory circuit 305.

  The antenna 131 is connected to the rectifier circuit 302. The high-frequency current flowing through the antenna 131 is rectified by the rectifier circuit 302 and then input to the clock extraction circuit 303. In the clock extraction circuit 303, the clock width and the clock interval are accurately extracted from the high frequency carrier. The extracted low-frequency clock pulse is input to the counter memory circuit 305, and processing such as ID number authentication is performed.

  The output from the counter memory circuit 305 is input to the load switch 304. The load switch 304 is a switching element composed of a MOSFET, and modulates the load by changing the impedance to the antenna 131 (impedance between the bump electrodes 133 and 134). The modulated signal is transmitted as data from the antenna 131 to the reader of the wireless recognition IC tag 102. Although not shown, the IC chip built in the wireless recognition IC tag 104 has the same configuration as that shown in FIG.

  The ID number written in each of the wireless recognition IC tags 102 and 104 is read by the reader antenna 103. The reader antenna 103 is constituted by a rectangular parallelepiped ceramic antenna, for example, and is connected to the reader 108 via a coaxial cable 106. The reader 108 stores an ID number written in each of the wireless recognition IC tags 102 and 104 and attribute information thereof.

  4 is a plan view (plan view seen from below) showing an example of the structure of the reader antenna 103, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the reader antenna 103 shown in FIG.

  The reader antenna 103 includes an antenna mounting substrate 111 on which an antenna pattern 110 is formed, and is connected to the coaxial cable 106 via a matching element 112. Since the antenna pattern 110 resonates at a predetermined frequency, the antenna pattern 110 is formed in consideration of the wavelength shortening effect due to the effect of the dielectric constant of the dielectric. The matching element 112 is an element that is inserted to prevent reflection of a high-frequency waveform due to the length and shape of the coaxial cable 106 and the electrical specifications of the antenna mounting substrate 111, and is configured by, for example, a chip-shaped capacitor or inductance. As the reader antenna 103, for example, a high dielectric ceramic antenna used for microwave communication, such as a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, and a mobile phone, can be used.

  To correctly insert the predetermined optical fiber cable 107 into the predetermined connector 101, first, as shown in FIG. 6, the reader is placed at a close distance of about 1 mm to 2 mm from the wireless recognition IC tag 104 affixed to the optical fiber terminal 105. The antenna 103 is brought close. Then, a radio frequency such as a microwave oscillated from the reader antenna 103 is received by the wireless recognition IC tag 104, and the ID number of the optical fiber cable 107 written on the IC chip is sensed by the reader antenna 103, thereby the reader 108. To be read.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the reader antenna 103 is brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 102 affixed to the connector 101 at a close distance of about 1 mm to 2 mm, and the ID written on the IC chip of the wireless recognition IC tag 102 The number is read by the reader 108. Then, the high frequency oscillated from the reader antenna 103 is received by the wireless recognition IC tag 104, and the ID number of the connector 101 written on the IC chip is sensed by the reader antenna 103 and read by the reader 108.

  Next, the reader 108 collates the ID number of the optical fiber cable 107 read by the above method with the ID number of the connector 101, and displays whether or not both ID numbers correspond. The operator sees this display and confirms that both ID numbers correspond to each other, and then inserts the optical fiber terminal 105 into the connector 101.

  On the other hand, when the optical fiber cable 107 is removed from the connector 101, first, as shown in FIG. 8, the reader antenna 103 is brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 104 attached to the optical fiber terminal 105 at a close distance of about 1 mm to 2 mm. The reader 108 reads the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 104.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the reader antenna 103 is moved in the horizontal direction, and the reader antenna 103 is brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 102 attached to the connector 101 at a close distance of about 1 mm to 2 mm. The ID number is read by the reader 108. At this time, since the wireless recognition IC tag 104 affixed to the optical fiber terminal 105 is not located at a close distance of the reader antenna 103, the ID number written on the IC chip of the wireless recognition IC tag 104 is read by the reader 108. It will never be done.

  As shown in the figure, the wireless recognition IC tag 104 attached to the optical fiber terminal 105 and the wireless recognition IC tag 102 attached to the connector 101 are oriented at an angle of 90 degrees with each other. The optical fiber terminal 105 brought close to the tag 104 can be brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 102 simply by moving in the horizontal direction. Therefore, even when the distance between the adjacent optical fiber terminals 105 and 105 is very narrow, the ID number of the connector 101 can be easily read.

  In this way, the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 104 affixed to the optical fiber terminal 105 and the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 102 affixed to the connector 101 are sequentially read by the reader 108, and both ID numbers are read. Are matched. Then, after confirming whether or not the predetermined optical fiber cable 107 is correctly inserted into the predetermined connector 101, the operator pulls out the predetermined optical fiber cable 107 from the connector 101.

  By using the verification method of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to reliably and efficiently prevent an erroneous operation when the optical fiber cable 107 is inserted into the connector 101 or when the optical fiber cable 107 is removed from the connector 101. .

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a collation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The verification device 120 includes a holding arm (holding means) 121 for holding the optical fiber terminal 105 attached to the tip of the optical fiber cable 107. The holding arm 121 is connected to the lever 1 (driving means) 25 via a connecting arm 122 and driving arms 123 and 124 interlocked therewith. A reader antenna 103 connected to the reader 108 via a coaxial cable 106 is fixed to the distal end portion of the holding arm 121.

  In order to insert the optical fiber cable 107 into the connector 101 using the verification device 120, first, as shown in FIG. 8, the optical fiber terminal 105 is held by the holding arm 121 and attached to the optical fiber terminal 105. The ID number of the optical fiber cable 107 is read by bringing the reader antenna 103 close to the wireless recognition IC tag 104 at a close range of about 1 mm to 2 mm. Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the ID number of the connector 101 is operated by operating the lever 125 and bringing the reader antenna 103 close to the wireless recognition IC tag 102 affixed to the connector 101 at a close distance of about 1 mm to 2 mm. Read. At this time, since the wireless recognition IC tag 104 attached to the optical fiber terminal 105 is located away from the reader antenna 103, the ID number of the optical fiber cable 107 written on the wireless recognition IC tag 104 is not read. Absent.

  Next, the reader 108 compares the ID number of the optical fiber cable 107 read by the above method with the ID number of the connector 101, and displays whether or not both ID numbers match. The operator sees this display and confirms that both ID numbers match, and then inserts the optical fiber terminal 105 into the connector 101.

  On the other hand, when the optical fiber cable 107 is removed from the connector 101, an operation reverse to the above is performed. That is, first, as shown in FIG. 12, the reader antenna 103 is brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 104 attached to the optical fiber terminal 105 to read the ID number. Next, as shown in FIG. 13, the lever 125 is operated to move the reader antenna 103 in the horizontal direction, and the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 102 attached to the connector 101 is read.

  In this way, the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 104 attached to the optical fiber terminal 105 and the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 102 attached to the connector 101 are sequentially read, and the ID numbers of both are collated. Then, after confirming whether or not the optical fiber cable 107 is correctly inserted into the connector 101, the optical fiber terminal 105 is held by the holding arm 121, and the optical fiber cable 107 is removed from the connector 101.

  By using the verification device 120 of the present embodiment described above, the operation of inserting the optical fiber cable 107 into the connector 101 or pulling out the optical fiber cable 107 from the connector 101 can be performed more quickly.

  As mentioned above, the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say.

  In the first and second embodiments, the reader antenna 103 is moved between the wireless recognition IC tag 104 attached to the optical fiber terminal 105 and the wireless recognition IC tag 102 attached to the connector 101. For example, FIG. 2, two reader antennas 103 are connected to the reader 108 via the switch 126, one of them is brought close to the wireless recognition IC tag 102 attached to the connector 101, and the other is attached to the optical fiber terminal 105. You may make it adjoin to the radio | wireless recognition IC tag 104 made. In this case, for example, after reading the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 102 attached to the connector 101 and then switching the switch 126 and reading the ID number of the wireless recognition IC tag 104 attached to the optical fiber terminal 105. , Collate both ID numbers.

  The present invention can be applied to a technique for confirming the correctness of connection between a signal cable and a connector using a wireless recognition IC tag.

Claims (5)

When one of the plurality of signal cables is inserted into one of the plurality of connectors arranged at a predetermined interval or when one of the signal cables inserted into any of the plurality of connectors is removed, the following steps are performed: A matching method characterized by including:
(A) A first wireless recognition IC tag in which a unique ID number is written in each of the plurality of connectors is attached, and a second wireless recognition in which a unique ID number is written in each of the plurality of signal cables. A process of attaching an IC tag,
(B) Among the plurality of connectors, a reader antenna is brought close to the first wireless recognition IC tag attached to the predetermined connector, and the ID of the predetermined connector written in the first wireless recognition IC tag Reading the number with a reader;
(C) The reader antenna is brought close to the second wireless recognition IC tag attached to a predetermined signal cable among the plurality of signal cables, and the predetermined wireless signal written to the second wireless recognition IC tag is written. Reading the ID number of the signal cable with the reader;
(D) collating the ID number of the predetermined connector read by the reader with the ID number of the predetermined signal cable, and confirming the correspondence between the two ID numbers;
(E) A step of inserting the predetermined signal cable into the predetermined connector or removing the predetermined signal cable from the predetermined connector when the correspondence between the two ID numbers is correct.   The collation method according to claim 1, wherein the signal cable is an optical fiber cable.   3. The verification method according to claim 2, wherein the second wireless recognition IC tag is affixed to a surface of an optical fiber terminal attached to a tip of the optical fiber cable.   The collating method according to claim 1, wherein the reader antenna is configured by a ceramic antenna.   The first wireless recognition IC tag and the second wireless recognition IC tag are oriented at an angle of 90 degrees with each other, and after reading the ID number written on the second wireless recognition IC tag, the reader The collation method according to claim 1, wherein the ID number written in the first wireless recognition IC tag is read by moving an antenna in a straight line direction.

Images